I’d like to think there are some drivers who keep their skin in the game for the right reasons. They can’t all be mercenaries who just bring big sponsorship deals. 

How so, with a completely flat floor?

My (limited) understanding is that, because of the reintroduction of ground effects, it will not be a spec floor. But I do stand to be corrected.

I like it. The whole front end is like a throwback to the early 90s, before Tyrell and Benetton brought the raised version about, and the simplified front wing is a thing of beauty. Have they worked on making the halo look more integrated, too?

It feels, to me, that this is the concept they’re getting their inspiration from. Which is okay by me.

I’d argue the cost wasn’t that great, considering if it was successful, how much economies of scale would make mass production cheaper. Normal tarmac roads cost anything between €3-€15 million per kilometre across Europe. That would put this experiment at the lower end of the scale. Imagine how the per kilometre cost…

It might peak at 23°C once or twice during a good summer. That’s about 74° in old money.

It’s not ideal. I don’t think it’s as bad as people are making it out to be. May look better in person? No matter, there’s always a way around it. 

Ireland. I go through three sets of wiper blades a year. 

Not a deal breaker for me. I have had my A/C on a total of ONE time all summer. A heater is much more important.

I voted NP on this, for reasons I’m not entirely sure of. It just spoke to me. The interior doesn’t hugely appeal to me, but I could live with it. I like the looks of VW’s MkII Golf/Jetta, and didn’t know it came in a two-door. The exterior mods aren’t over the top, and I actually like how the steelies look on it. I…

One area where you still differ from us Europeans: you consider the GTi a ‘small’ car. 

You are completely warranted.

It appears the nearby town of Nenoska was going to be evacuated, then that order was rescinded. Meanwhile, radiation levels in Severodvinsk are double the usual background level, according to the Russian Federal Nuclear Agency, but the national meterological agency claims it’s more like sixteen times. This is starting…

What is the crew compliment of the Lollipop?

I’ll go with... yes? 

This explains everything

I do like Harris, and I agree, he could manage Top Gear on his own. But the best thing he does in this video is at the end, where he doesn’t say anything at all. The car speaks for itself, and knowing that is what makes him a good journalist.

Honeymooned in Sicily a couple of weeks back, and it was also my first car rental experience. Couldn’t really have picked a more interesting place to drive on the opposite side of the road for the first time. We got a good price, via a broker, with Sixt at Catania airport. We were told “Alfa Giulietta or similar” on…

The owner has a number of classics and he claims the Volvo is by far and away the most reliable. Seems with the 1800, rust is the biggest enemy. It was disappointing but he said I could check it out some other time, which I intend following up on.